Nancy Binay takes leave as UNA president

Senator Nancy Binay announced Thursday that she is taking a leave as president of the United Nationalist Alliance “in the light of recent developments within the party.”

But Binay did not elaborate on what these developments were.

In a statement, she said that with her absence in the party, she will be focusing more on her job as a senator “and put all my efforts in advancing pending legislation in the 17th Congress.”

“As an official senatorial candidate of UNA in the 2019 national elections, I will still continue to advance UNA’s core agenda of competence and the Binay brand of service,” she said.

The senator filed her certificate of candidacy for another six years in the Senate last week.

Binay informed UNA Secretary General JV Bautista about her decision in a letter dated October 18, the effectivity of her leave.

In the letter, Binay said she expects the party to handle her leave appropriately in accordance with their rules and charter.

“It is my wish that the Secretary General grants my request in good faith,” she said.

Binay’s leave came at the hills of the rift between her siblings Makati Mayor Abby and former mayor Junjun who are both gunning for the mayoralty post.

Nancy, the eldest of the Binay siblings, accompanied Junjun when he filed his certificate of candidacy while Abby was accompanied by their father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay.

The former Vice President earlier said he would let the people of Makati decide on who they want to elect as their mayor. — RSJ, GMA News